Georgia Expands Prosthetics Coverage for State Workers After Teacher’s Advocacy
A Rome teacher who lost her leg in a crash and faced insurance barriers while training for Boston Marathon helped inspire lawmakers to expand prosthetic coverage for state employees.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA — Georgia lawmakers have expanded insurance requirements for prosthetic device coverage to include state employees, following advocacy from a Rome teacher who lost her leg in a car crash and faced insurance barriers while training for the Boston Marathon.
Hannah Nabors, a special education teacher and cross country and soccer coach in Rome, lost her left leg in February 2025 after being pinned under her car for two hours following a crash. Despite the amputation, Nabors immediately set her sights on running the Boston Marathon and told her family about this goal after waking up from surgery.
Insurance Coverage Gap
Nabors discovered that as a state employee, her insurance would only cover one basic prosthetic device every three years through the state health benefit plan. This contrasted sharply with Georgia’s state-regulated commercial insurance plans, which provide access to three medically necessary prosthetic or orthotic devices per affected limb every three years under a law passed in 2025.
“It’s not fair that if I had any other job besides serving the state, I would have access to up to three devices,” Nabors said.
The limited coverage meant Nabors could not afford the specialized running blade needed for her marathon training through insurance alone. Her northwest Georgia community stepped in last August, hosting a fundraiser that enabled her to purchase the device.
Community Support and Personal Triumph
Without the community fundraiser, Nabors said she probably would not have been able to afford even a prosthesis for basic activities like showering. The specialized running blade allowed her to reclaim an important part of her life.
“To reclaim a part of my life that I thought was gone forever is something I will never take for granted,” she said. “But it’s not fair that there are people in Georgia who maybe don’t have an amazing community like Rome to fundraise for a blade.”
Nabors described crying after successfully running her first mile with the specialized prosthetic device, marking a significant milestone in her recovery and athletic pursuits.
Legislative Action
The expanded law now brings state employee benefits in line with commercial insurance requirements, ensuring that state workers with limb loss or limb difference have access to the same level of prosthetic coverage as those with private insurance plans.
The change addresses what advocates saw as an inequity in the system, where public servants faced more restrictive coverage despite performing essential roles in education, public safety, and other state functions.
Nabors continues her preparation for the Boston Marathon, scheduled for later this month, representing both personal determination and the broader impact of advocacy on healthcare policy for amputees across Georgia.
